AP Human Geography: Unit 4 Review

Introduction

• Study Guide: Obtain the accompanying study guide for a comprehensive review.
• Ultimate Review Packet: Includes videos, quizzes, Vocab lists, practice exams, and more.

Key Concepts

State vs. Nation

• State:
  • Permanent population, defined borders, sovereign government.
  • Recognized by other states.
  • Sovereignty over domestic and international affairs.
• Nation:
  • Group of people with shared culture, history, and homeland.
  • Self-determination desire.

Types of Political Entities

• Nation-State:
  • Self-governing, uniform population.
  • Example: Japan, Iceland.
• Multinational State:
  • Multiple nations within borders.
  • Example: Canada (English and French linguistic groups).
• Multi-State Nation:
  • Nation across multiple states.
  • Example: Kurds, Basques.
• Stateless Nation:
  • No recognized state.
  • Example: Kurds, Basques.
• Autonomous and Semi-Autonomous Regions:
  • Autonomous: High degree of self-rule, e.g., Native American Reservations.
  • Semi-Autonomous: Moderate self-governance, e.g., Hong Kong.

Historical Events and Political Processes

• Colonialism:
  • Territorial acquisition and settlement for control.
• Imperialism:
  • Exerting influence without settlement.
• Decolonization:
  • Gaining independence post-WWII.
• Devolution:
  • Transfer of power from central to regional government.

Political Power and Territoriality

• Territoriality:
  • Ownership and occupation of space.
• Neocolonialism:
  • Indirect control via economic or cultural influence.
• Shatterbelt Regions:
  • Areas of conflict and external pressure.
• Choke Points:
  • Strategic geographic areas influencing control.

Political Boundaries

• Types of Boundaries:
  • Geometric, antecedent, relic, superimposed, subsequent, consequent.
• Boundary Disputes:
  • Definitional, locational, operational, allocational.

Law of the Sea

• UNCLAW: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
  • Territorial waters, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone.

Internal and International Boundaries

• International Boundaries:
  • Separate sovereign states.
• Internal Boundaries:
  • Separate regions within a state.
  • Redistricting and gerrymandering issues.

Forms of Government

• Unitary State:
  • Centralized power.
• Federal State:
  • Power distributed between national and regional governments.

Devolutionary Factors

• Causes:
  • Physical geography, cultural divisions, political instability, economic/social divisions.
• Examples:
  • Basques and Catalans in Spain, Kurds in the Middle East.

Challenges to Sovereignty

• Technological Advancements:
  • Internet and social media influencing political power.
• Supranational Organizations:
  • Alliances for common goals, e.g., UN, EU, ASEAN.

Centrifugal vs. Centripetal Forces

• Centrifugal:
  • Forces that divide, e.g., cultural differences, political corruption.
• Centripetal:
  • Forces that unite, e.g., national identity, common culture.

Conclusion

• Review the study guide and take practice quizzes for better understanding.
• Use additional resources for more help with difficult concepts.